Idea: Dhakaani empire teleportation systems [Archive] - Wizards Community

Idea: Dhakaani empire teleportation systems [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ibbins
08-14-05, 03:05 AM An idea inspired by the Propylon chambers in Morrowind. Basically, this would be a series of permanent teleporation circles scattered across Khorvaire, now mostly destroyed, and the rest hidden. But what I would like to know is, were the goblinoids capable of such powerful magic?
quijouer
08-14-05, 03:59 AM :hoppingma

I would not recommend this; Eberron's transportation options are a huge part of its flavour. :teach: Taking an airship (or even a trip on the lightning rail) should evoke images of the interwar period. Such a trip is a great opportunity for characters to interact with nobles etc that they might not be able to gain an audience with otherwise. The presumed social equality of all travellers taking any given class of transit is a fixture of any fiction that regards that period.

Don't take that away from the setting.
Sarlax
08-14-05, 05:10 AM I don't think the Dhakaani had sophisticated magic. I've gotten the impression that the empire was mostly forged in classic military battles with low magic assistance at best. Interestingly (I hadn't noticed this before), the Dhakaani hobgoblins actually bred bugbears and goblins into existence (ECS 152, first paragraph). This indicates to me that the goblinoids always preferred nonmagical prowess. Their magical development would probably be limited to adepts and small numbers of sorcerers.

That's just one interpertation, though. You can always have a higher-magic Dhakaan if you wish, and I can't think of much that specifically prohibits it.

Even with low-magic, the Dhakaani might have come up with a teleportation system. Here's an idea. The Dhakaani discovered a way to harness various manifest zones - perhaps all manifest zones "cut" through the Astral Plane and the goblinoids took advantage of the astral connection. Maybe rather than doing it through arcane advancements, they activated the network with sacrifices of thousands of goblins, "feeding" the gate system with blood.

You could even argue that this is how the Daelkyr became interested in Eberron. The Dhakaani experimentation with teleportation and planar connections might have even drawn Xoriat into alignment with Eberron.
Kid SixXx
08-14-05, 06:35 AM I don't think the Dhakaani had sophisticated magic. I've gotten the impression that the empire was mostly forged in classic military battles with low magic assistance at best. Interestingly (I hadn't noticed this before), the Dhakaani hobgoblins actually bred bugbears and goblins into existence (ECS 152, first paragraph). This indicates to me that the goblinoids always preferred nonmagical prowess. Their magical development would probably be limited to adepts and small numbers of sorcerers.

Keith's Dragonshard article, Masters of Magic (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050725a), shows that the goblins were (probably still are) very dependant on Bardic magic as their primary source of arcane power.

The Dragonshard indicates that at least one historical Dhakaani bard was capable of wielding considerable power (enough to craft artifacts), so it would stand to reason that goblins do wield enough magical ability to at least assist in the creation of portals.

The Dhakaani probably depend on goblins to provide Bardic magic, and probaby lean on Kobolds to provide their sorcerers, I would guess.

The development of a teleportation system / gate system might be a (pardon the pun) concert effort between goblin bards and kobold sorcerers. I'd even speculate that such portals would be keyed to certain destinations by music or tones, rather than command phrases.
Ibbins
08-14-05, 01:20 PM I would not recommend this; Eberron's transportation options are a huge part of its flavour. :teach: Taking an airship (or even a trip on the lightning rail) should evoke images of the interwar period. Such a trip is a great opportunity for characters to interact with nobles etc that they might not be able to gain an audience with otherwise. The presumed social equality of all travellers taking any given class of transit is a fixture of any fiction that regards that period.

Don't take that away from the setting.

I failed to make my intentions clear; if I was to use this, the portals would be extremely rare, hidden, completely forgotten, difficult to use, and highly dangerous. I'm not about to use anything that lets some Brelish say "well, I'll be popping off to Karrnath, be back in 10 minutes," nor will this become something for the PCs to use regularly.

It was an idea to be used in a story arc, not to redefine the setting.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ibbins 08-14-05, 03:05 AM	An idea inspired by the Propylon chambers in Morrowind. Basically, this would be a series of permanent teleporation circles scattered across Khorvaire, now mostly destroyed, and the rest hidden. But what I would like to know is, were the goblinoids capable of such powerful magic?
quijouer 08-14-05, 03:59 AM	:hoppingma I would not recommend this; Eberron's transportation options are a huge part of its flavour. :teach: Taking an airship (or even a trip on the lightning rail) should evoke images of the interwar period. Such a trip is a great opportunity for characters to interact with nobles etc that they might not be able to gain an audience with otherwise. The presumed social equality of all travellers taking any given class of transit is a fixture of any fiction that regards that period. Don't take that away from the setting.
Sarlax 08-14-05, 05:10 AM	I don't think the Dhakaani had sophisticated magic. I've gotten the impression that the empire was mostly forged in classic military battles with low magic assistance at best. Interestingly (I hadn't noticed this before), the Dhakaani hobgoblins actually bred bugbears and goblins into existence (ECS 152, first paragraph). This indicates to me that the goblinoids always preferred nonmagical prowess. Their magical development would probably be limited to adepts and small numbers of sorcerers. That's just one interpertation, though. You can always have a higher-magic Dhakaan if you wish, and I can't think of much that specifically prohibits it. Even with low-magic, the Dhakaani might have come up with a teleportation system. Here's an idea. The Dhakaani discovered a way to harness various manifest zones - perhaps all manifest zones "cut" through the Astral Plane and the goblinoids took advantage of the astral connection. Maybe rather than doing it through arcane advancements, they activated the network with sacrifices of thousands of goblins, "feeding" the gate system with blood. You could even argue that this is how the Daelkyr became interested in Eberron. The Dhakaani experimentation with teleportation and planar connections might have even drawn Xoriat into alignment with Eberron.
Kid SixXx 08-14-05, 06:35 AM	I don't think the Dhakaani had sophisticated magic. I've gotten the impression that the empire was mostly forged in classic military battles with low magic assistance at best. Interestingly (I hadn't noticed this before), the Dhakaani hobgoblins actually bred bugbears and goblins into existence (ECS 152, first paragraph). This indicates to me that the goblinoids always preferred nonmagical prowess. Their magical development would probably be limited to adepts and small numbers of sorcerers. Keith's Dragonshard article, Masters of Magic (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050725a), shows that the goblins were (probably still are) very dependant on Bardic magic as their primary source of arcane power. The Dragonshard indicates that at least one historical Dhakaani bard was capable of wielding considerable power (enough to craft artifacts), so it would stand to reason that goblins do wield enough magical ability to at least assist in the creation of portals. The Dhakaani probably depend on goblins to provide Bardic magic, and probaby lean on Kobolds to provide their sorcerers, I would guess. The development of a teleportation system / gate system might be a (pardon the pun) concert effort between goblin bards and kobold sorcerers. I'd even speculate that such portals would be keyed to certain destinations by music or tones, rather than command phrases.
Ibbins 08-14-05, 01:20 PM	I would not recommend this; Eberron's transportation options are a huge part of its flavour. :teach: Taking an airship (or even a trip on the lightning rail) should evoke images of the interwar period. Such a trip is a great opportunity for characters to interact with nobles etc that they might not be able to gain an audience with otherwise. The presumed social equality of all travellers taking any given class of transit is a fixture of any fiction that regards that period. Don't take that away from the setting. I failed to make my intentions clear; if I was to use this, the portals would be extremely rare, hidden, completely forgotten, difficult to use, and highly dangerous. I'm not about to use anything that lets some Brelish say "well, I'll be popping off to Karrnath, be back in 10 minutes," nor will this become something for the PCs to use regularly. It was an idea to be used in a story arc, not to redefine the setting.